Managing Snakes Around Your Home

Snakes are difficult to repel or eliminate. Focus on habitat modification.

Reduce Snake Appeal

• Remove rock piles, stacked lumber, leaf piles, firewood near house.
• Mow lawn regularly, especially near creeks or overgrown areas.
• Eggshells, lime, and mothballs do NOT work.
• Check repellent labels—many don't affect common species.

Legal Note

Most encountered snakes are non-venomous. In Georgia, killing non-game wildlife (including non-venomous snakes) is a misdemeanor (O.C.G.A. 27-1-28).

Resources: Missouri snake control guide; Georgia Wildlife Federation's "Snakes of Georgia and South Carolina" booklet (770-787-7887).

Copperhead Concerns

Commercial repellents often explicitly state they don't work on copperheads. Habitat reduction remains the best strategy.